Funnels and funnel-like devices have been used for centuries. Useful for transferring liquids and granulated materials into containers with smaller mouths or openings, funnels prevent spillage and loss. The term ‘funnel’ itself has a unique etymology dating to the 1400's and can be used as both a noun and a verb. Earliest forms of the word include the Latin ‘infundibulum’, derivative of ‘infundere’ meaning ‘to pour in’, later adapted to the wine trade of southern France as ‘enfounilh’. As shown in FIG. 1, a typical funnel 100 may comprise a longitudinally-extending pipe with a wide, often conical mouth portion 110 at a proximal end leading to a narrower, often tapered stem portion 120 at a distal end. Funnels are usually made of stainless steel, aluminum, glass, or plastic, but may be formed from any suitable material. In use, a liquid may be poured into the large open mouth portion 110 as indicated by arrow 200, and flow down the interior wall(s) 115 of the funnel 100 and out the smaller opening (not shown at this angle) of the distal end 130 of the stem portion 120.
Once a funnel 100 has been used, however, a problem often arises: where to put the funnel 100 until it dries out and stops dripping the liquid 210 from the distal end 130. Often the liquid being funneled is dirty or toxic, such as oil, fuel, other petroleum-based products, or chemicals. In these cases the user typically does not want to touch the liquid, and it can be nearly impossible to try to manually use a rag, cloth, or paper towel to wipe out all the liquid from the interior surface(s) 115 of a funnel 100, because the stem portion 120 is frequently too long and narrow to reach inside. Moreover, with viscous liquids such as oil and other petroleum-based products, a thin layer of the liquid tends to adhere to the interior surface(s) 115 of the funnel 100, thus often taking a very long time to drip-dry. Very frequently in typical use, a funnel 100 is hung on a wall or put on a shelf or other location before it is completely dry, and over time the liquid 210 continues to slowly drip out of the distal end 130 of the funnel 100, often causing unsightly stains and puddles that may also be flammable and toxic.
Accordingly, there has been a long-felt need for a simple, safe, inexpensive, and visually pleasing way to store funnels after use.